Bairstow picked up the injury while keeping during the third test but has been selected for the upcoming match with coach Trevor Bayliss saying he may be deployed as a batsman, with Jos Buttler taking over behind the stumps.

Nottingham: Mohammed Shami bowls during the second day of the third cricket test match between England and India at Trent Bridge in Nottingham.(AP)

Indian bowlers will look to target England’s Jonny Bairstow’s fractured finger should the 28-year-old be passed fit to play in the fourth test, paceman Mohammed Shami has said.

Bairstow picked up the injury while keeping during the third test but has been selected for the upcoming match with coach Trevor Bayliss saying he may be deployed as a batsman, with Jos Buttler taking over behind the stumps.

The Yorkshireman is England’s leading run scorer in the series with 206 and he still retains hope of keeping his place as wicketkeeper for the penultimate test beginning at Southampton on Thursday.

“Obviously, when you see that a batsman has a weakness and he feels uncomfortable in some way, you’d prefer to work on that aspect,” Shami told a news conference.

“It’s not just me, any fast bowler will want to target his weak zone. So we will definitely look at that.”

England lead the five-match series 2-1 following India’s 203-run victory in the third test at Trent Bridge.